Indications for a long stem femoral component in total hip replacement

A series of 11 patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty with a long stem femoral component was reviewed. The longest period of followup was five years, average three years. Patients included two women and eight men whose ages ranged from 41 to 67 years. The indications for a long stem femoral component resulted from motor vehicle trauma in three patients, iatrogenic trauma in two patients, neoplastic involvement of the femoral shaft in two patients, and weakened bony stock in four patients. Average hospital stay was five weeks. There were no early deep infections, no postoperative dislocations, and no neurovascular complications. One patient sustained a nonfatal pulmonary embolus. One patient died from overwhelming femoral osteomyelitis three years after surgery. One patient underwent hemipelvecromy for recurrent neoplastic disease three years after surgery. One patient died from pulmonary metastasis two years after surgery.